Sustainable use of water resources, awareness-creation of alternative sources of energy and cultivation of new water sources as a solution to water scarcity and food insecurity

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While the use of technology for geo-mapping and irrigation schemes can provide a long-term solution for water scarcity and food shortages in Africa, it is significant to note that Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is neither a solution nor a recipe, but rather a perspective or way of looking at problems with a view to solving them through transparent and inclusive decision-making processes; and that IWRM should explicitly deal with the fact that water tends to build asymmetrical relationships between people, communities and nations.” (van der Zaag, 2005).

Conservation is a noble effort that has to take the form of genuine concern for country and the environment as a whole. But most importantly, conservation of natural water sources allows for availability of water that will drive the health, mortality and success of Africa (van der Zaag, 2005). Crucially, this conserved water has the potential to serve several purposes including but not limited to, production of food, generation of electricity and revenue from tourist attractions.

The best way to ensure that existing water resources are not depleted through conservation is the use of erosion control measures. According to Rockstrom (2000), this method is often perceived as a soil conservation measure that contributes to “increase the recharge of water to the root zone and finally to the water table.” (Rockstrom, 2000) This method can allow for better water conservation techniques that can enable semi-arid regions in Africa to manage water conservation and consequently manage the risk of crop failure.

Retrieved from: https://farmingfirst.org/2012/09/stone-bunds-as-soil-and-water-conservation-measures-in-sahelian-countries/

Falkenmark et al., (1989) argues that there is an urgent need for increase in awareness of conservation measures to tackle the issue of water scarcity. In particular, Africa has seen a barrage of leaders who are willing to sacrifice their nation’s sovereign resources in order to acquire wealth. This corrupt greed, as well as environmental degradation, climate change and capitalism has led to the widespread destruction or diversion of water resources in Africa. The earth does not have unlimited resources. Therefore, in order to preserve, conserve and regenerate what is left from the natural earth, politicians and high-level policy and decision makers need to be aware of the water penury problems. This will allow for the creation of new conservation strategies that will grow out of increased awareness (Falkenmark et al., 1989). It is simple to utilize a resource to its depletion, but earthly wisdom dictates that we should utilize natural resources only if we are able to sufficiently replenish them so as to avoid extinction (Nayebare et al., 2019).

 Due to the dissonance between demand of water and the limited supply that Africa is facing, conservation and creation of new water sources must play a vital role in environmental management. The scarcity of any resource can be mitigated by responsible and proactive human effort. In a study on water security and public expectations and governance in South Africa, the research findings highlighted that even with the increase in awareness on the significance of conservation through re-use of waste water, majority of the participants expressed concern for improved government awareness and good governance on the water sector (Sershen et al., 2016). Therefore, increase in public awareness can sufficiently reduce bulk utilization of water reserves and instead encouraging a culture of drawing down what is needed by a particular individual, family or community. Additionally, third parties’ watchdogs such as NGOs and global conservation groups must keep the conservers accountable to make sure that they are genuinely and responsibly allocating that resource in an efficient and sustainable manner for the benefit of those entitled to it.

In conclusion, conservation is an effort that requires smart identification, management and accountability and increase in public awareness. In addition, overutilization of water resources also leads to inadequate hygiene evidenced by the conjunctive use of shallow subsurface water as a source for cooking, cleaning and unfortunately a repository of faecal matter that poses substantial risks to human health in low-income African countries undergoing rapid urbanization (Nayebare et al., 2019). Conservation encourages the prudent use of resources knowing that they are in limited amounts and will be required by future generations.


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